My Blood Legacy: Reincarnated as a Vampire

"Are they really so afraid I'll put an end to this little plague?" Mary Rose taunted, her voice dripping with contempt. The sinister glow on the blade of Valentina's spear flared brightly, emanating an energy that seemed to slice through the very air.

Valentina, her patience already at its limit, didn't bother to respond. She surged forward with absurd speed, swinging the spear in a devastating arc. The strike was so brutal that it not only decapitated Mary Rose but also tore through the sky above them, creating a rift in the clouds as if the very heavens had been split.

"Tch, pathetic puppet," Valentina muttered disdainfully, watching the headless body collapse slowly. However, instead of blood, what spilled forth was an ethereal glow. "Substitution magic," she realized with irritation. "That wasn't her real body."

"She prepared for this," Alice remarked calmly, her voice steady as she wielded a magical sword whose blade pulsed with glowing runes. Her gaze quickly shifted to Morgana, who raised her hands to conjure a massive dome-shaped barrier, encasing the area.

"Complete sealing," Morgana declared, though her expression soon twisted in frustration. "She's already gone… She's not here. She only manipulated the location to delay us."

Alice turned her attention to Lilith, who lay on the ground, injured and barely clinging to life. Without hesitation, Alice knelt beside the demoness, extending her hand and invoking healing magic that glowed with vibrant green light. "Your body is far too damaged," Alice stated as the magic began restoring some of Lilith's wounds. "You need to leave. Go to Jeanne and let her finish healing you. There's no point in staying in this state."

Before Lilith could protest, Alice conjured a teleportation circle beneath her. In an instant, Lilith vanished in a flash of light, sent directly to the location where the Celestial Virtues were gathered, leaving Alice, Valentina, and Morgana alone on the battlefield.

Valentina spun her spear, still radiating power, and looked at Alice. "That was annoying."

"Without a doubt," Alice replied, her eyes narrowing as she observed the remnants of Mary Rose's magic dissipating into the air. "But she made a mistake in underestimating us. She thinks running is always the best option, but she's only delaying the inevitable."

Morgana, with a dark smile, maintained the threatening tone in her voice. "She won't get so many chances next time."

"Let's go back." With an elegant motion of her hand, Morgana opened a shimmering portal pulsating with magical energy. Without hesitation, the three stepped through, leaving the empty battlefield behind and emerging in the infirmary of Albion.

The environment was a stark contrast to the chaos before. The room radiated a soft, comforting light, the walls adorned with symbols of protection and healing. At the center, Lilith lay on a bed, her body enveloped in a golden glow as Jeanne worked tirelessly, conjuring holy magic with steady and precise hands.

Sara stood nearby, watching the scene with a thoughtful expression. "It's almost ironic, isn't it?" she murmured, crossing her arms as her eyes fixed on Lilith. "A demon, being healed and purified… with sacred energy."

Jeanne, maintaining her focus as her fingers traced delicate runes in the air, replied without looking away. "As Dante said… In this world, where balance is distorted, even a demon can accept and be restored by sacred energy."

Lilith's body visibly responded to the magic. Parts of her skin, once blackened and marred by corruption, returned to a natural tone, as though the darkness was being pulled from her very fibers. Her breathing, once irregular, began to stabilize.

"It's strange," Jeanne continued, pausing briefly to assess the results of the spell. "The corruption within her is deeply rooted, but it's not absolute. There's a trace… something that prevents her from being completely consumed by darkness. Perhaps that's what allows sacred magic to work."

"Or perhaps she has something she still wants to protect," Sara suggested, her voice laden with reflection. "Something that keeps her connected to the more… human side of herself."

Morgana watched in silence, but an enigmatic glint danced in her eyes. "Whatever it is, it makes her more useful alive than dead." She turned to Jeanne. "Keep working. We need her up and strong for what's coming next."

Jeanne nodded and intensified her magic, the golden glow enveloping Lilith's body in soft waves as the room fell into a purposeful quiet.

Outside, Valentina pushed open the infirmary doors and found the Crimson Valkyries seated on benches along the corridor. Their crimson armor gleamed under the magical light that filled the space, and their postures, though relaxed, exuded readiness. It was clear they were waiting, perhaps to act at their leader's slightest command.

"Stand up," Valentina ordered firmly, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. "Begin your patrols. Ensure every corner of the kingdom is secured." Her gaze fell on Kaalindra, her second-in-command. "Kaalindra, you're coming with me."

The Valkyries rose in unison, their armor emitting a soft chime, and dispersed without question. Kaalindra quickly moved to Valentina's side, falling into step with her as the leader strode purposefully through the corridors.

"Commander, is something troubling you?" Kaalindra asked, her voice laced with concern but maintaining the respect owed to her superior.

Valentina didn't pause, her boots echoing against the stone floor as she ascended the stairs leading to the kingdom's walls. "I'm sensing something… wrong," she replied, her voice low but charged with intensity. "A disturbance I can't ignore."

Kaalindra furrowed her brow, studying Valentina's expression. The leader was always in control, but there was a tension in her gaze now, a glimmer of alertness Kaalindra rarely witnessed. "Do you think it's an imminent threat?"

Valentina stopped at the top of the stairs, her eyes scanning the horizon beyond the walls. The vast expanse of the kingdom stretched out before her, but despite its beauty, there was a sense of something hidden, a presence refusing to reveal itself. "I don't know yet," she admitted. "But we can't be caught off guard. Not while I'm here."

She clenched her fists, the energy around her flickering briefly, as if mirroring her resolve. "Let's go, Kaalindra. We have work to do."

...

"What a drag," Dante muttered, kicking a rock along the path as he walked beside Akira. The sound of the impact echoed briefly before fading into the oppressive void of Hell. They had left the city behind some time ago, and now they were back on the endless desolate plain, accompanied by nothing but the reddish horizon and the cracked ground.

"You complain too much," Akira replied without even glancing at him, her posture impeccable and her gaze fixed straight ahead. "Maybe the silence is exactly what you need."

Dante scoffed, crossing his arms as he continued walking. "Silence? I don't need silence, I need action. Something, anything... You know, something that doesn't involve walking in a straight line for hours."

"You think everything can be solved with a fight," Akira remarked, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips. "Maybe Hell is trying to teach you patience."

"Or maybe it's just testing me to see how long it takes before I snap," Dante shot back, side-eyeing her. "And you? Aren't you bored of all this walking?"

Akira finally turned to him, her smile widening provocatively. "Me? I'm enjoying watching you complain. It's like having my own private show."

Dante rolled his eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh. "Great. Glad my frustration is entertaining for you."

"You should be grateful," Akira replied disdainfully. "If it weren't for me, you'd probably be dead or lost."

Dante raised an eyebrow, a challenging smirk forming on his lips. "Lost, maybe. Dead, never."

She merely chuckled—a dry, cutting sound—before continuing onward. "Come on, hero. The heart of Hell won't reveal itself to someone who complains too much."

Dante shook his head but couldn't help a faint smile as he followed her. Despite the monotony, he knew things were far from boring with Akira around.

They walked in silence for a while longer until the cracked, barren ground began to glow with an orange hue. Ahead of them, a sea of bubbling lava stretched out for miles, its molten waves spewing sparks into the heavy air. The heat was so intense that even Dante, with all his resilience, felt an uncomfortable bead of sweat trickle down his forehead.

"Well... that's inconvenient," Dante said, stopping at the edge of the glowing expanse. He looked to the other side, where the horizon faded into the sweltering haze. "Don't tell me we have to go around it."

Akira stood beside him, arms crossed, gazing at the lava with a thoughtful, unaffected expression. "Not exactly. But this crossing won't be easy."

Dante sighed, already tired at the thought. He tried summoning his wings, but as before, nothing happened. "Still can't fly. Something in this place is blocking my ability. So... what now, oh great guide?"

Akira let out a low laugh and shrugged. "If you can't fly, then you'll have to trust me." She pointed to a series of rocky pillars rising from the lava, distant but visible. "There are paths... hidden ones. But they're not exactly safe."

Dante raised an eyebrow, looking at where she indicated. "Hidden paths? You mean we're going to hop from rock to rock like some kid's game?"

Akira rolled her eyes. "Those 'rocks' are anything but childish. And it's either that or swimming. Your choice."
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He laughed dryly. "Swimming in lava? Hard pass. Lead the way, then."